Okay, so budgets are a bit pinched these days. And one easy place you might look for cutbacks is in the beauty aisle. But who wants to look any less fabulous? That’s why we were so happy to meet up with someone who can work beauty into a budget. Meet Jennifer Worick, beauty expert and author of Girls’ Night In: Spa Treatments at Home. Her trick: Just use things you probably already have in your home. Here’s what she came up with as we took a look around the house—plus, a few ideas we picked up from girlfriends.
* Coffee grounds and baking soda - Blend for an exfoliating face scrub.
* Milk, honey, egg whites, and ground almonds - Mix for a gentle facial cleanser.
* Avocado and buttermilk - Mix fruit with 1 tablespoon of the milk for a facial mask.
* Brown sugar and olive oil - Makes a soothing body scrub.
* Sea salt and olive oil - A great foot scrub that’ll remove dead skin.
* Epsom salt, sea salt, and a peppermint tea bag - The combo for a muscle-soothing bath.
* Powdered milk and ground oatmeal - Pour into a bath as a skin-hydrating solution.
* Eye drops that reduce redness - Dab on blemishes to help reduce severity.
* Milk - Soak a clean washcloth in cold milk and place it over your face for 10 minutes—it’ll reduce any redness.
* Matchbook striking surface - Grab and file nails when no nail file is handy.
* Hand lotion - Lightly spread through hair as an anti-frizz treatment.
* Cornstarch - Lightly rub into hair as a dry shampoo.
* Petroleum jelly - Spread over cuticles or lips to ease rough skin.
* Nonflavored antiseptic mouthwash - Bathe feet in it to help remove odor and fungus.
* Spoon - Press against eyelashes to add curl.
* Cold spoon - Chill then gently press over closed eyes to reduce puffiness.
* Aspirin - Crush and mix with water into a paste to fight facial blemishes.
* Hemorrhoid ointment - Dab under eyes as a remedy for bags.
* Dryer sheets - Brush through hair or inside hat to remove static.
Comments from Members
I like almost all of these ('cept perhaps for the match strike plate). I don't really wear any make up--maybe once every two months or so, b/c I am concerned about the chemicals leeching into my skin. These all-natural ideas are great, though!
Hydrogen Peroxide
1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the20bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out.. (I do it when I bathe.) No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash...
2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs.
3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe down your countertops, or spray it on the counters directly.
4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to Kill salmonella and other bacteria.
5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of Peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry.
6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.
7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will.
8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue.
9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get t o a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it20for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.
10... Put half a bottle of peroxide into your bathwater to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections..
11. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on
clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a
minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water.
Repeat if necessary.
12. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this.
I will try the peroxide methods for cleaning. I never gave peroxide a try. I will let you know how I made out.By Cookie on 8/9/09
I liked the recipes for the cleanser. The hydrogen peroxide tips alos look very helpful !
I love reading about 'off the wall' ideas about items I have in my pantry. I do already gargle with the peroxide and it does seem to keep my teeth white. I would love to read more if anyone else has any more to share!
i love this..this is so informative..thank you
Great ideas! Thank you!!
Who needs beauty products with this great list of thing???????????
I love these kind of tips! :)Lisa
Wow! Thanks for the tips. Who would guess at some of these?
I love getting old fashioned remedies and beauty tips. It brings back wonderful memories of my recently deceased Mother whom having lived through the depression always had ways to pinch a penny.Therese
Try pepto bismo for a skin tightening mask let completely dry. Judy
Try peptobismo for a skin tightening mask let dry completely and rinse off. Judy
Try peptobismo for a skin tightener let dry and was off. Judy
I love all these tips! It really helps when we are on a budget. Thanks.
These are great, if you have the ingredients!Thanks for the peroxide tips, Sara!
Aspirin crushed into a paste is also good to relieve mosquito bite itch. It relieves it a great deal and I really think the welt goes away quicker. The cheaper the aspirin pills the better too, because paying for coating only makes it harder to dissolve the aspirin into the paste!
I use baking soda on my face every other night to get rid of dead skin cells. Make a paste with water & gently rub on your face. I have oily skin & this leaves my skin looking amazing!! I also use it in my wash with Borax, Arm & Hammer washing soda & grated Fels Nafta soap for laundry detergent. This will last months & cost pennies a day!! Great for cleaning sinks, toilets etc. My son has a tic disorder so I ONLY use all natural producs in my home. There is a book called Better Basics for your Home. It is chucked full of natural "receipes" for everything you can imagine.
Lots of ideas are great, assuming you have the ingredients! Has anyone priced items like avocados and olive oil, lately?
Sara, your ideas about peroxide are wonderful!
Thanks so much for some great ideas
Thank you so much for taking the time to give your tried and true inexpensive, healthy ways of life! I made a paste of baking soda/water once to use on a bright pink stain on my HUSBANDS dash board in his truck and it took it right off with no scrubbing at all! It was a bright pink piece of paper that was left and got wet. The stain was huge.....baking soda...no problem : )
Take 2 teaspoons of Natural cider vinegar 3 tiems a day (put in 8 ounces of water if you can't take it straight)-it lowers tryglicerides over about a 3 month period and keeps them low; also it helps you to lose weight.Star
Oh, cidar vinegar also can be used as an astringet for those with oily skin. Olive oil can be used as make up remover(removes even water proof mascara.
Multiple effervescent denture tablets as a foot bath or diluted bleach and water as a scrub removes yellowing on your fingernails and toenails.
I use Pledge to clean my sinks and bathtub. It removes stains and leaves a pretty shine.
Delta Devine on 8/11/09------10:35 PM
